Ingestion of glutamic acid (MSG) is known to produce a variety of adverse reactions in some people. These reactions, although seemingly dissimilar, are no more diverse than reactions found as side effects of certain neurological drugs. We do not know why some people experience reactions and others do not. We do not know whether MSG “causes” the condition underlying the reaction, or whether the underlying condition is simply aggravated by the ingestion of MSG. We only know that the reactions listed below are sometimes caused or exacerbated by MSG.

According to the FDA, MSG Symptom Complex or MSG side effects can result in:

Numbness

Burning sensation

Tingling

Facial pressure or tightness

Chest pain

Headache

Nausea

Rapid heartbeat

Drowsiness

Weakness

Difficulty breathing for asthmatics

“All forms of MSG (free glutamic acid that occurs in food as a consequence of manufacture) cause these reactions in MSG-sensitive people. That includes MSG found in a plant “growth enhancer” called AuxiGro, and MSG found in a variety of other fertilizers and fungicides that have been approved for spraying on growing crops, including crops identified as “organic.””

According to various independent studies show MSG reaction or MSG side effects can result in the following symptoms:

Many people react to the MSG experience. They are not always benign or transient. According to Dr. George Schwartz author of “In Bad Taste: MSG Syndrome” his patients “have developed neurological conditions similar to Giles de la Tourette Syndrome, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and unspecific symptoms mimicking multiple sclerosis and muscle degeneration.”

Dr. Schwartz also states, “In our practice we have observed reactions of severe palpitations, heart rhythm disturbances and liver abnormalities. Psychological disturbances including depression and anxiety attacks have also been seen after MSG ingestion. Gastrointestinal distress, headaches, dizziness and mental confusion are not unknown in these reactions, and asthma attacks are of great concern.

Particularly distressing are the hyperactivity and learning disorders that can be attributed to the absorption of monosodium glutamate by children. They symptoms are often misdiagnosed and attributed to “junk food.”

One of the questions frequently asked is why this additive produces so many diverse symptoms? One assumption is that it strikes where the patient is most vulnerable, the brain being most often affected.

It is not unusual to suffer a variety of side effects when dealing with a substance that shocks the nervous system.”

It makes you stop and think doesn’t it?

Need more information? Check out the video below, The Truth about MSG Monosodium Glutamate Clinical Nutrition: